Annual 2016-17 Report ABOUT Volunteering and Contact ACT

Volunteering and Contact ACT is the peak body for volunteering and community information. We drive policy, and advocate for our members and stakeholders as part of a national network. We are an active link between people, organisations and government.

Our Vision

An engaged community enriched by volunteering, participation and knowledge.

Our Mission

To champion participation through information, volunteering and community connections.

Board of Directors Our Objectives Chair • To foster community engagement through reliable Mat Franklin information, services and volunteering. Secretary • To represent the volunteering sector as a peak body George Brenan by driving and infl uencing policy and advocacy for Directors our members and stakeholders as part of a national Jack Dan Jane Hayden (until February 2017) network. John Lewis • To be an active link between people, organisations and Lynne Grayson (until November 2016) government. Sajid Hassan Sarah Peascod Stipe Vuleta Our Sponsors Wendy Prowse (until June 2017)

Contact Details

Head Offi ce Level 2, 202 City Walk, Canberra ACT 2601 02 6251 4060 Contact Offi ce Griffi n Centre, 20 Genge St, Canberra ACT 2601 02 6248 7988 Postal Address PO Box 128, Civic Square ACT 2608 e [email protected] w vc-act.org.au ABN 30 433 789 697 CHAIR’S REPORT Mat Franklin

2016-17 was a prosperous year for Volunteering and Contact ACT; a year that saw many new initiatives come to life to enhance our services to members and the community. We reinvigorated our annual Volunteering Awards, introduced our Specialist Knowledge Series, and held our first Symposium. In my role as Chair I have watched Volunteering and Contact ACT continue to flourish and would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to our wonderful and committed volunteers, staff, and fellow board members, I would also like to thank our partners and sponsors for continuing to work with us, enabling us to reach new heights through collaboration. Particularly, we thank the ACT Community Services Directorate, the Department of Social Services, the National Disability Insurance Agency, the Canberra Labor Club Group, the Snow Foundation, and Beyond Bank Australia. We are grateful to our outgoing CEO, Glenda Stevens, for her leadership during a period of change for the sector. Glenda’s contribution led to significant improvements to our services and we thank her for her time with us. The Board also thanks Jean Giese for acting in the role of CEO. Her professionalism and tenacity ensured that the organisation operated smoothly while we waited for our new CEO, Vicky Darling, to begin with Volunteering and Contact ACT. I hope you enjoy reading about the achievements detailed in this report, and look forward to 2018 and beyond.

CEO’S REPORT Vicky Darling

My tenure as CEO began some months after the end of the Financial Year, but I write this report in reflection of the significant achievements of Volunteering and Contact ACT before my commencement. I have been considerably impressed with the fantastic culture at Volunteering and Contact ACT, and the incredible work ethic of our staff and volunteers. I look forward to advancing our mission, and continuing to provide quality volunteering and community information services to the Canberra Region. I thank my predecessor, Glenda Stevens, for her hard work over the year. Thanks to Glenda’s leadership Volunteering and Contact ACT made several key improvements, including revising and reinvigorating our membership structure. This re-design will have a multitude of benefits for our members, and will ensure that our services meet the needs of our stakeholders. Other highlights from the past year include our revamped Volunteering Awards, which expanded the breadth of recognition for volunteerism in the Canberra Region. Further, our Digital Symposium was a highlight for many and we again thank our guest speakers for generously donating their time. The successes of the year were made possible due to our entire staff team, including volunteers. I thank managers Jean Giese, Helen Quiggin and Sarah Wilson for their contribution, and the rest of our team who work tirelessly to make Volunteering and Contact ACT the wonderful organisation it is. Finally, I echo our Chair in thanking our key partners who are instrumental to our success. I am looking forward to working with all our stakeholders, including our valued members, to ensure that Volunteering and Contact ACT continues to go from strength to strength, and continues to deliver great outcomes for the Canberra Region. OUR MEMBERS 2016-17

0 Conservation Volunteers Australia Parks and Conservation Service 2XXfm Cooking Circles Pegasus - Riding for the disabled A Council on the Ageing (COTA ACT) Post & Ante Natal Depression Support & Abundant Water Inc Cricket ACT Assoc Information ACT Corrective Services Cultural Facilities Corporation Print Handicapped Radio of ACT ACT Cycling Federation Currie Crescent Community Centre Prisoners Aid ACT ACT Disability, Aged and Carers Advocacy Cystic Fibrosis ACT Pro Musica Service D Q ACT Emergency Services Agency Diversity ACT Community Services Queanbeyan Multilingual Centre Inc ACT Equestrian Association Doris Womens Refuge Questacon ACT Fencing Association Dragon Boat ACT R ACT Mental Health Consumer Network Inc Duo Services Australia Ltd Red Nose (formerly SIDS and Kids) ACT Volunteers in Policing E Ronald McDonald House Canberra ACT Wildlife Easts Juniors Rugby Union Club Rooftop Foundation Incorporated ACT Writers Centre Epilepsy Association ACT Inc Royal Nat Cap Agricultural Society Actcoss Ethnic Broadcasters Council of the ACT Royal Society for the Blind (RSB) Canberra Adria Village Eurobodalla Education and Therapy Services RSI & Overuse Injury Association AFL Canberra and AFL Sapphire Coast Muddy Puddles RSPCA Act AIDS Action Council of the ACT F S Alcohol, Tobacco & Other Drug Association Food Co-op Shop and Cafe Scientists and Mathematicians in Schools, ACT Friends of the National Arboretum Canberra CSIRO Education, CSIRO Alzheimers Australia ACT Inc. Scouts Association of Australia, ACT Branch Amnesty International Australia - ACT/ Fusion Canberra SEE-Change Inc Southern NSW G Self Propelled Enterprises Anglicare NSW South, NSW West and ACT Geoscience Australia Sexual Health and Family Planning ACT Arthritis & Osteoporosis ACT Ginninderra Catchment Group Inc Shareability Incorporated Association of Parents & Friends of ACT Ginninderra Cricket Club - Juniors Sharing Places Inc Schools (APFACTS) Girl Guides, ACT & South East Region SHINE for Kids Asthma Foundation ACT Goodwin Aged Care Services SHOUT Inc Australian 3D Manufacturing Association Greening Australia Capital Region Sir Leslie Morshead Manor Australian Business Volunteers GreyHen Productions Snowy Hydro SouthCare Australian Computer Society (ACS) Canberra H Softball ACT Branch Havelock Housing Association Special Olympics ACT Australian Institute of Company Directors Heart Foundation ACT Sports and Recreation Services - ACT Australian Institute of Project Management House With No Steps - ACT Region Government Australian National Botanical Gardens I Sports Medicine ACT Australian National Eisteddfod Indigenous Community Volunteers St John Ambulance Australian National University - Student Indigenous Reading Project St Vincent de Paul Society Canberra/ Experience and Career Development IRT Group Goulburn Australian Railway Historical Society - ACT K Stella Bella Little Stars Foundation Australian Red Cross ACT Karinya House Strange Weather Gospel Choir Inc Australian War Memorial Karralika Programs Inc Strathnairn Arts Association B Koomarri T BaptistCare NSW & ACT L Table Tennis ACT Barnardos Canberra Australia Leapfrog Adventures Incorporated Tadact Basketball ACT Leukaemia Foundation Ted Noffs Foundation Belconnen Arts Centre Libraries ACT Tennis ACT Belconnen Community Men’s Shed Lifeline Australia The Cancer Support Group, ACT Eden Belconnen Community Service Lifeline Canberra Monaro’s Own Billabong Aboriginal Development Lifestream Christian Fellowship The School Volunteer Program ACT Inc Corporation Lone Fathers Association Inc The Smith Family (ACT) Boundless Canberra M Triathlon ACT Bush Heritage Australia Majura Kitchen Garden, Majura Primary Tuggeranong Arts Centre C School Tuggeranong Vikings Amateur Basketball Callida Consulting Marist180 Club Calvary Health Care ACT Marymead U Calvary John James Hospital Menslink Uniting Care - Mirinjani Village Camp Quality ACT Mental Health Community Coalition UnitingCare Australia Canberra and District Historical Society Mental Illness Education ACT (MIEACT) UnitingCare Kippax Canberra and Region Centre for Spiritual Molonglo Catchment Group Inc Unity College Australia Care and Clinical Pastoral Education Multiple Sclerosis Limted University of Canberra - Student Support Canberra and Region Multiple Birth Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Services Association Parliament House V Canberra District Rugby League N Veterans Film Festival Canberra Glassworks Ltd Narrabundah Early Childhood School Victim Support ACT Canberra Hospital and Health Services National Arboretum Canberra Victims of Crime Assistance League (ACT) Inc Canberra Latin Dance Festival National Capital Authority Vietnam Veterans Federation of Australia Canberra Off-Road Cyclists National Folk Festival Incorporated Canberra Police Community Youth Club, National Gallery of Australia Villaggio Sant Antonio Inc. (Canberra PCYC) National Library of Australia W Canberra Potter’s Society National Museum of Australia Warehouse Circus Inc Cancer Council ACT Nationsheart Christian Community Warrigal Care CanTeen ACT & SNSW Division Navitas English AMEP ACT Wellways Australia Ltd Capital Football North Belconnen Day Centre Woden Community Services Carers ACT Northside Community Service Y CatholicCare Canberra and Goulburn O YMCA of Canberra Communities@Work Outward Bound Australia You Are Here Canberra Inc Community Connections Inc OzHelp Young Neighbourhood Centre (Goodstart Community Participation Group - ACT P Young) Community Services Directorate Palliative Care ACT Youth Coalition of the ACT Conservation Council ACT Region Inc Parentline ACT YWCA of Canberra ACHIEVEMENTS AGAINST KEY OBJECTIVES

To foster community engagement through reliable information, services and volunteering

Contact Shopfront Community Directory Through our Shopfront, info line The ACT Community Directory has continued to be a valuable and accurate and email channels, we made 8,008 source of information about community organisations and services in the referrals to services in the Canberra Canberra Region. The Directory has listings on 1,620 organisations who Region. This included 2,117 referrals deliver 2,893 services. The Directory was viewed over 86,000 times during to government services, 4,570 the 2016-17 year. referrals to non-government/ community services, and 995 Community Diary referrals to private sector services. During the year work progressed to transition the long-running ACT Our partnership with the Australian Communities Online site to the new My Community Diary; a sister-site of Taxation Office continued this the ACT Community Directory. year, offering low income earners appointments in our Shopfront to The Diary links seamlessly with the Directory, improving the flow of complete their tax returns. information throughout the community sector, and to the public. Organisations will be able to manage information on their services, and We also introduced monthly ‘Meet publish their upcoming events using a single login, and one user-friendly Your Community’ sessions, which interface. offered community organisations a presence within our Shopfront to The Diary will ensure that people have access to up-to-date and relevant promote their service. information on events in the Canberra Region.

1,620 organisations 8,008 community listed in the Directory, 86,000+ information referrals delivering Directory views 2,893 services

Inclusive Volunteering Program In May 2017, Volunteering and Contact ACT relaunched its Inclusive Volunteering Program (IVP) thanks to the support of our long term partner, the Snow Foundation. The Program was established in 2012, and provides support for people experiencing barriers to find suitable and meaningful volunteering roles. Since re-launching, the Program successfully placed four individuals in volunteering roles in the Canberra Region.

Connections Program National Multicultural Festival 2017 Connections is a one-to-one social In 2017 Volunteering and Contact ACT partnered with the ACT Government support program for people with to undertake the volunteer management component of the National a mental illness. 2016-17 has been Multicultural Festival. We recruited 111 volunteers who completed 140 shifts a successful year for the Program; over the weekend of the Festival. The volunteers were overwhelmingly with new initiatives introduced satisfied with their experience, with 82 per cent saying they would volunteer to enhance the Program for for the Festival again. participants and volunteers alike. These improvements include In addition to the Festival volunteer management, Volunteering and Contact monthly newsletters and quarterly ACT wrote the 2017 Festival Evaluation Report, which included information social groups. on the economic contribution of the Festival to the Canberra Region. During the year, we received 31 participant referrals and 43 volunteer expressions of interest. There are currently 33 active matches being case managed, with all participants reporting they are enjoying the Program, their buddy, and the activities they engage in together. To represent the volunteering sector as a peak body: to drive and influence policy and advocacy for our members and stakeholders as part of a national network

Membership In the 2016-17 financial year, Volunteering and Contact ACT’s membership 1,905 instances offering was revised to include services from both the Volunteering of support to Services Portfolio as well as the Community Information Portfolio. The revised membership structure enabled member organisations to choose Volunteer Involving service packages that best suit their individual needs. The membership Organisations structure better positioned us as a unified organisation, bringing our key service offerings into the membership portfolio. Additionally, member organisations could purchase ‘add ons’ to further tailor their membership. Our membership base remained steady with the introduction of these 5,371 volunteer revised offerings. referrals Policy and Advocacy Volunteering and Contact ACT continues to undertake significant policy and advocacy work to advance volunteering and community information in the Canberra Region. During the 2016-17 year we made the following Events and Training policy submissions: During 2016-17 Volunteering and • Submission in response to the Consultation for the Collection of Contact ACT hosted a wide range Volunteering and Giving Data of events and training sessions. Our • Submission to the Inquiry into the Delivery of Outcomes under the main event for the year was the 2017 National Disability Strategy Volunteering Awards. • Submission to the Inquiry into the Employment of People with a We continued to deliver exciting and Disability innovative training sessions for both • Submission on the Spontaneous Volunteer Management Handbook members and non-members. Volunteering focused training 2017 Volunteering Awards included Volunteering Essentials, Volunteer Managers Essentials, In 2017 Volunteering and Contact ACT redesigned our Annual Volunteering Specialist Knowledge Series, and our Awards to recognise not just individual volunteers, but managers, programs, Digital Symposium. ideas, and organisations. Community focused training More than 50 volunteers, volunteer teams, and volunteer involving included Community Directory organisations were recognised for their achievements across nine Essentials and our monthly Meet categories. Your Community events. The Awards were made possible thanks to our Event Partner Beyond Bank Australia, and Category Sponsors ActewAGL, the Snow Foundation, and Zoo Group.

58 events and 164 volunteer 189 volunteers training managers trained trained

To be an active link between people, government and organisations

During 2016-17 Volunteering and Contact ACT was represented at the following: • ACT Community Recovery Sub-Committee • Community Sector Leaders Forum • Industry Strategy Working Group • Joint Community Government Reference Group • Social Enterprise Taskforce • Steering Committee for the 2017 National Multicultural Festival

2,300+ 920+ 2,200+ Likes Followers Followers FINANCIAL REPORT

Volunteering and Contact ACT Financial Position (as at 30 June 2017) continued to achieve a positive financial outcome with a surplus of $28,265 for the year. 2017 2016 This was achieved through: $ $ • Additional sponsorship income ASSETS for the 2017 Volunteering Awards, Canberra Region. Cash and cash equivalents 642,769 700,770 • Sale of a motor vehicle Trade and other receivables 9,983 7,800 Other assets 13,950 20,113 • Prudent cash management to obtain additional interest TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS 666,702 728,683 earnings • The continued containment Property, plant and equipment 20,160 17,909 of expenses to ensure value for money is achieved TOTAL NON CURRENT ASSETS 20,160 17,909 TOTAL ASSETS 686,862 746,592 It should be noted that the ‑ significant reduction in both revenue and expenses in 2016-17 LIABILITIES compared to the prior year is due Trade and other payables 72,830 104,581 to the management of the 2016 Employee benefits 31,979 27,242 National Volunteering Conference on behalf of Volunteering Australia. Other financial liabilities 49,942 111,276 This conference is held every two TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES 154,751 243,100 years. The financial position has improved Employee benefits 6,352 5,999 as a result of the outcome achieved with retained earnings now TOTAL NON CURRENT LIABILITIES 6,352 5,999 $525,759. TOTAL LIABILITIES 161,103 249,098 The company continues to present NET ASSETS‑ 525,759 497,494 a solid financial foundation upon which future operations can be progressed. EQUITY The outlook for 2017-2018 from Retained earnings 525,759 497,494 a financial perspective is strong TOTAL EQUITY 525,759 497,494 with grant income continuing to be provided by both the ACT and Federal governments. Income and Expenses

2017 2016 $ $ For complete financial Revenue and other income 1,272,345 2,096,924 statements please go Administration expenses (122,663) (223,114) to vc-act.org.au Conference and event expenses (18,674) (315,200) Depreciation (6,470) (3,721) Interest expenses - (110) Marketing expenses (9,406) (37,132) Occupancy costs (226,245) (227,699) Employee costs (801,609) (860,595) Other expenses (59,013) (220,185) Profit attributable to members of the entity 28,265 209,167 Other comprehensive income - - Total comprehensive income for the year 28,265 209,167 (02) 6251 4060 | [email protected] | vc-act.org.au Level 2, 202 City Walk, Canberra ACT 2601 | PO Box 128, Civic Square ACT 2608